A mother and daughter have been rescued from a burning property by helicopter and homes have reportedly been destroyed as a bushfire burnt out of control in the New South Wales Hunter region.

The woman and young girl were spotted by a Rural Fire Service rapid response crew in Kurri Kurri on Wednesday afternoon before being taken to Cessnock airport in distress.

“The fire was impacting upon the property and when the helicopter flew over they were waved down by a number of people,” RFS assistant commissioner Rebel Talbert said after the fire was downgraded to watch and act late on Wednesday afternoon.

“There were two other people who remained on the property to try and defend the house and shed from the fire.”

The RFS has received unconfirmed reports from the public and firefighters of properties being destroyed by the 650 hectare fire, which was formed when two serious blazes merged on Wednesday.

More than 250 firefighters continue to battle the northwest-moving fire, which is burning near Hart Road, McLeod Road, and the Hunter Expressway.

The crews, including extra hands from Sydney and the Central Coast, have been assisted by waterbombing aircraft.

The Hunter Expressway remained closed between Buchanan and Branxton on Wednesday afternoon.

The ABC was reporting the nearby Weston Aluminium recycling plant had been shut down to limit the threat of an explosion.

Residents were evacuating and moving stock on Wednesday as firefighters battled worsening conditions and an out-of-control blaze near Canberra.

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service had earlier said those in the Mount Fairy and Boro areas, near Tarago north-west of Canberra, should implement their bushfire survival plan.

“Your safest option is to leave early,” it said on Wednesday morning. “Well-prepared and actively defended homes can offer safety during the fire.”

The grass and bushfire near Tarago, which broke out on Tuesday, is now 3,290 hectares in size and has burnt through Taylors Creek Road, Bungendore Road and Mount Fairy Road. There are reports that some property has already been lost.

The Tarago crews took advantage of more favourable conditions – including some rain – overnight to strengthen containment lines and hold the fire to the western side of Goulburn Road between Boro Road and Barnet Drive.

Anyone who has relocated owing to the fire should register with Queanbeyan police station on (02) 6298 0558. Residents who need to move horses from the area can take them to Goulburn showground.